The National Institutes of Health says there are two broad categories of aphasia: fluent (Wernicke's aphasia) and nonfluent (Broca's aphasia) affecting two spots in the language center of the brain (Photo by: National Institutes of Health)
"Sometimes, when individuals have more of a mild aphasia as a result of stroke or even a car accident, their brain may just heal very well on its own, and some of the aphasia-related problems with speech and language really dissipate over time, especially if they participated in speech therapy," Mikola said. But in general, for those with severe cases, the prognosis is poor.
The ability to talk, listen, read and write can all be impaired differently, or to differing degrees, she said, and so it's vital for patients with aphasia to undergo a speech language evaluation as soon as possible.
According the National Institutes of Health website, "Research has shown that language and communication abilities can continue to improve for many years and are sometimes accompanied by new activity in brain tissue near the damaged area. Some of the factors that may influence the amount of improvement include the cause of the brain injury, the area of the brain that was damaged and its extent, and the age and health of the individual."
The NIH says there are two broad categories of aphasia: fluent (Wernicke's aphasia) and nonfluent (Broca's aphasia), and there are several types within these groups, depending on post-stroke communications abilities.
This pamphlet, called "Moving Forward After a Stroke For Persons with Aphasia," published by the Army Medical Department, spells out in general what aphasia patients must navigate, and recommends who can help. It includes rehabilitative services, but also more day-to-day practical matters, such as memory, intimacy, jobs, managing finances, and driving. Even adjusting to changes in swallowing, drinking and eating sometimes have to be re-learned.
Other sources of information to help family members of the people that have aphasia are the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the National Aphasia Association and the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association that provides resources, strategies and tips on living with aphasia.
"It's a very, very frustrating disorder," Mikola said, to the victims as well as their families.
But there are support groups for survivors of stroke or just aphasia. The above national association websites can provide where to find them.
"There is a period of brain recovery, usually during that first year, where the brain can improve, on its own and more so with therapy, Mikola said.
"So, there is hope for them. And there's a lot of research that is being done with people with aphasia, and there are promising studies that show that with speech therapy, individuals that developed aphasia 10 years ago can still make some improvements with their language abilities, or whichever area they're working on."